Method of severing and removing rails and the like



Aug. 1943- R. M. WALTERS 2,326,906

METHOD OF SEVERING AND REMOVING RAILS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 4, 1940 5 ,INVENTOR FsDBERT M. WALTERS ATTORNEY economical and desirable to sever the head or entire top portion of the rail by a single pass of r the cutting device lengthwise of the'rail, and to do this it is' necessary that the cutting jet shall pass through the rail in such a manner that none of the head or upper portion of the rail will remain. connected to the web. j Accordingly, the cutting jetf is so inclined that 'it will intersect or just pass through a pointi or region such'as H where the under surface of the flange F and the adjoining or near side of the web W merge." V The surface at and adioining the point usually f the "exposed side surface of the rail and'inclined so as to coincide with-the line l0ell-l2, as previously explained. 'However, if there is no channel'L or its equivalent and both sides of the head H are "substantially covered, the severing 5 operation may be performedby' advancing the is curved concavely, and therefore th kerfiKa may be said to be, disposed in a'.plane which intersects the main verticalfaxial plane of'the rail and is tangentto, or passesjthrough mergin'g' surface portions of the head and web. Such 1 a kerf, when completed,- will-"result in severing the entire head from the web inone pass, though i it will be evident that the flange F and'the tread T vwillualsobe -cut apartiqb'y the severing operation, thereby facilitatinglthe'subsequent; 1 handling of the two-piece, severed upper portion of the rail to remove it'from the street: v V V V Figs.3 and-4 illustrate othentypesofgirder rails and the application of .thismethodthereto.

Thesevfigures diagrammatically illustrate alternative positions .andinclinations ;of the kerf; and

showlthat the plane of. cutting'mayrbe varied, being determined generally by the degreexofac v cessibility such.cuttingrplanev will aiiordto the depth ofthe kertto beicut, As shown inrFi :3

lines |.0'l2and]l3,l4 represent two different i. 'kerfs or. planesl-oi cuttinggeach produced-byv advancing a cutting: jet lengthwise-of the groove" blowpipe' nozzle andby a desire to, minimize the r 1 cutting jet while it is directedagainst the top Surface Oijthdf rail andsofinclined' as to coincide with aline I 8'| 9 2), thus producing a kerf Kd fwhichinter sectsthe main vertical axial plane of "the railand severs the head'from the remainder z ofgth e-rail in a manner similar tothe severing foper'ations already described.

Eor convenience, the regions orpoints where. the surfaces of the web W merge into the surfaces of the flahgeF, the tread T, or the head H,

may bejterihed the web-head points of the rail. WhileIthe preferred" and most economical procedure'ot this invention contemplates performing'the severing operation by a single pass of the cutting blowpipelengthwise-70f:thelrail,tthis involves producinga kerf which-passes; almost ex:

actly through a web-headpoint of their-ail; How'- eve'r, in some instances it. may be desirable or necessary to make morethan .one cutlengthwise of the rail to sever the-entire head or upper poi.-

tion of; the rail and render it ea'sily'iremovable. For example,1 as shownin. Fig, '4, if the first cut orkerfl a c den a ym' intentiona y isses t web-headpoint; I i,v the tread 1 portion :1 may Ebe 'liftedcutand then a second cut or'lcerf iQ- may be produced "by advancing'the cutting jetgalong the remaining head portionwhiledirectingrthe'jet Grand inclinedlso as to'passthrough theipointi where the surface of. the web W merges with-f the surface of. thenflangeIF. i Obviously, the kerf represented byithe line I3--'l4=is deeper; and therefore more time and gas would be required deeply embedded part of the-rail and have been;

to cut this kerf than the preferred kerf Kb rep-j j resented byethe line 10-12.; The principles of mooth, e'si d cete a S i Fi 2 against 'the expcsedfreshly cut surface at a point opposite the webehead point-.I I, so as to rapidlycut a kei frthroug h this thin section'and thereby "sev r the flange E prremainingunseyered head P O Q i Om th WebWJ: a l vi Inall instances, after the head portionori pore tions of the rail have beenseveredirorn'. the more lifted out, the resulting trench maybefilledwith' suitable paving material and the surface rolled 'It-will' be understood'thatlthe cutting device;

nqWn: rein ec ion; ma be iedva c d a y or niechanieally -along .thez r'ail to-cut'the'; latter ously would involve cutting through at greater:-

thickness of metal, and would be less economical,

7 than .cuttingidownwardly'from and; along abotV- tom portion of the groove Gpr its equivalent;

An. equivalent ofqthe groove G of Fi s/.1 and 3 V is illustrated in Fig.4 wherein thetop surfaces" of the. flange F and the tread T of the raiLRc merge into,a region Gwhichprovides a guide or bearing forthe car wheel ,rim.v Sincethe-readvanced along the region Gf and suitably :inclined so as to produce the .kerf Kc represented 7 Fig.5 illustrates the application of this sever.- ing method to another common type'of rail Rd, in which no separate flange or intervening groove is provided ordinarily; though one side of the head H may be exposed by achannel L formedin the pavement coextensive with the rail to IBCQH'Q the rim or astreet-carwheeler-if such achann l-is present, a kerf Kd may be produced by advanc ing'along the rail a cutting jet directed against 7 gion Gis closeto both theicentral vertical plane of :thelrail and to thegre'gionwhere thesurfaces oftthe web W and therflange F merge, it-will be 'evidentthat the cutting jet preferably shouldbe irom end to encl in the-manner described, How-Q yerli der t q the s i n ace r lr and.

anid ri i efe efieus a se epro ledandr accurately guided c arriage to support andrguide h t 'e. :A hawn-i i ists-r l for 2 amplevthe cutting hlowpipe' Q nay be mounted on a selfeprcpelle'd l machine of the type; dis-. closed in Patent ;No. 2', l i ,66 1issued in thename f.: 1Q i m he hi eM m trevel;

on and beguicledby a portable track Y which may be suitablypositionedgpa fallel to the rail Ra upon which the -severingggoperation is to begperformedu Appropriategheating' and oxygen cutting jets are d s a d b 't f wh ne noz e N hic m be curved or otherwise formedto extend into a w-9G for ep s d toi i ti J s n, th

desired direction to produce the inclined kerffor severing the vhead portion of the rail according to this invention. The propelling; device Z may tractionally engag one member of; theitrackY to propel the rnac hine Mgand the'blowpipe D lengthwise of v the; rail Raiata uniform and ap-N propriate rate of ,speed for the severing operatione.

Usually, before'setting the machine Minlplace: v

to start cutting vwith itQa short 'section abouti'six inches long attire endaof a-rail1is cut out witha. hand operated cutting blowpipe; v Thisis .done to nozzle iszbent rtge arr iangl'e er atum. BS' tQQth-Wer tical aixisgof .1 the :blo p Y r v, r -1. A methodrof severing z'leiv f Generallij-the dischargeehdof'the blowpipe mostadvantageously utilized asastep inia method ef-renioving theheadportionsiof embeddedstreet j rails, other applicationsofsuctfi severing-proa- 7 cedure will occur to thosei skil'l'e'dins'thes'e arts. Althoughthethermo-chemicalicmtinglprocedure I 7 distinetzadvanragesm the method disclosed herein, other cutting: devices maybe used and? various changes may be made in the details shown f and described, withoutdepartingfrom the principles of this invention; a v I I 'Iclaima- .7 f

p ipe,'so. thatfithe 'cuttin'gig et will intersect-.ithei. ailsecti'cn at thedesired,we'b -y v head; -point;;but the:angle ofbendfand theset-ting of the 'ziozzle willi depend upontheiex ting rail a head porti on from'a steel rail or similar'member having a headi'andf f a web; such"method-comprising applying a cut v 'tingmediumagainst-and advancing the same along a surface offsaid fheadiandthrough said rail orsimil ar member to producea kerfext'end similar memben'and diagonally across the main vertical axial plane of said web to the'surface or said web atftheother-side of said plane fromthe: I surface of said head against which saidfme'dium is applied, said cutting medium being advanced through saidrail or similar member so as to pro duce a ker'f' passing substantially tangentially Y throughv merging surface portions of said head .7

and Said. Web. 1

V ingthrough said head; lengthwise of s'ai'dfi};rail or, f

the opposite side of s aid=plane from theisurface f V of "said head against whichfsaid'medium: is ap;

pliedinitially. 3. A method of severinga head portion from "a steel rail or similarmember having a head and alweb; the rail or similar member, with the-exception of the upper surface of theheadjj being' embedded in and surrounded by a. foundation" -material, such: method comprising advancing a- .cutting medium lengthwise of saidrail or similar member: and simultaneouslyw'directing said 7 cutting medium against the exposed surface or said headand diagonally across the main vertical axial plane of said rail or similar member so that said cutting mediumipasses through a web- Y head point of said rail-or similar member and emerges in a region'of said web which'is sur-V I rounded by said foundation material.

1 4. A method as defined in claim 3 in which r V said cutting medium; is directed so as to pass throughthe' lowestweb-head point of said railror similar member.

5. A method ofrem'ovingthe upperi portion of a steel rail from the'remainder of such a rail which isembedded in'p'avement and'which has:

, the portion. of saidirailfthrough which said "('5 ting amediuin passest heated itQ "substantially I fits-1 kindlingtemperat'ure, and; iii which saidcut 1 "ting medium is agj-eti'iof oxygen having sufiicient tylztoixpenetrate thrbugh; saidmail-whilei.be= j' I v hereofe'andzidire'cted" "against: successivea areasefof; the exposed upper surfac portion. I '7 7; A method of "severing a head portion from a. i steel rail, said head portion comprisinga tread; V a flange, and'a groove between andrcoe'xtensive 1 with said tread and flange, said headportion be- .ing integrally connected to, the upperportion of said tread and flange being integral'ly connecte'd 1 lar member, such methodcomprising advancing I lar member while-directing saidcuttingmedium' against the surface of said groove and diagonally across the main verticalaxial' planeof said .rai1' so; that; said rmdiuin shag-ll; emerge 1 A-imethod ass -defined" insclaim; 5: in w the web of said rail, andsaid rail, with the .excepti'on of the upper. surfaces of said tread, saidflange, and said groove being embedded in a from said groove.

"8.;'A:method as'defined in claim 7 in'which said r cutting medium is {so directed that it. passes through a portion of said. rail where the under' 3 surface of said flange merge with a surface of saidweb.

9. A method as defined inclaim'. 7' inwhich a cutting" medium is so directed that it' pas es-g through a portion of said rail where the *under fs urface of said head mergesgwith a surface of 10. A'method of severing ahead portion from ;-;a steelirail or similar member, saidhead "portion- (comprising a-tread, a flange,*anda groove-between and coextensive with said tread iand flang to the upper end of'the web of said'iail orjsimia cutting "mediumrlengthwise of said railgor simi-.

or'similar member so as to penetrate through a said rail or similar member to that surface of-said Y web fwhichis on the oppositeside ofsaid plane from'saidgroove. I

11. A method as' defined in claim 10, in which said cutting medium is so directed that itpasses- Q through'a'portion of said rail where the under surface of 'said flange merges with a surface of V said web." i

-12. Afmethod as defined :in claim'10, inwhich said cutting medium is so directed that it passes through a po'rtion of said-rail where the-under surface .of-Ysaid head merges' with a, surface of 'saidweb. V I I f 13; Amethod of removing an upper portion of i a street-car rail which is embedded in street pave-I ment'j and' replacing pavement therefor, such method comprising severingsuchupperportion from the webof theembedded railylifting such f v severed upper portion from the remainder ofthe utting medium 1 y i zmoey rail; -.thereb'yt"-leaving a trench in place- 0f slueh severed upper portionar' d leaving saidre nainder V v 'of thevrail embedded in said pavement; and filling said trench with pavingmatexial level with the adjoining street pavement. i

:14. A 'method OfQsev'eringvand: rem Wing .head from a steel rail or. similar meinber having a headanda web,the upper surface of .saidhead being exposed .;and :theiremainder. of said ,rai11 or 1 similar member'being embedded in andsurrbun'ded by i foundation material; such 'm'eth'od, com

leng'hwise of said rail s or similar memberawhile' directing said; medium diagonally downward Jacross the mainverticaluaxialplane of saidrrafl or. similarimember to produce as kart/extending from said upper surface; throu'ghz-said railgor bet; advancing a -'cu t t;ing medium lengthwise of prising the steps of advancing'a cutting: medium similai' member abeiref ah web-t headjpoinfi. thereof; and .ito emerge .at =the'embedded surf ace .0! said "web onithe Opposite-,sideibt said planeirom that ronvwhichaiis located theJweb-head point :above which said kerfipasses; lifting .oflfthe pertionof said: head (severed by. suchlzsevering operation fi omjhetremainder. of saidvrailbrsimilar memthe remainder of said rail or similar member while directixig: saidmedium against the exposed freshlyicutf surface 'ztheredff at a point opposite said web-head point so'as tdsever' the 'head pore I floral-from; said remainder; hand: lifting suchlast= severed-head :portion'fiofi "the lower portion of said railor similarmemberzv p v 1 I ROBER'IPM; 1 

